The Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF) 2022 has announced an 16 jury members comprising acclaimed directors, filmmakers, actors and academics to judge films in six categories for the much-awaited ninth edition of the festival.

SIFF, organised by FUNN, the Sharjah-based entity that promotes media arts learning among children and youth, will run between October 10-15 under the theme ‘Think Film’ at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, Sharjah.

Jurors from 11 Arab and international countries

The jury committee of the ninth edition hails from 11 countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, USA, Canada, Belgium, Germany, and Kenya. They will evaluate films in six categories: Student Film, GCC Short Film, International Short Film, Animation Film, Documentary Film, and Feature Film. 25 of the ‘Junior Jurors’ will evaluate the Best Child and Youth-made Film.

Student Film category

The panel for this category includes Amal Al Duwaila, Emirati communication and media specialist; Nadia Rahman, Chair and Associate Professor, Zayed University; and Siona Vidakovic, director, writer, and animator.

GCC Short Film category

The entries in this category will be evaluated by Heba Hamada, award-winning Kuwaiti film director and scriptwriter, Buthaina Alraisi, Omani actress, and Hani Al-shaibani, award-winning Emirati filmmaker and Art Director of Al Ain Film Festival, with more than 10 short films and six feature films to his credit.

International Short Film category

Jurors for this category comprise Masoud Amralla, one of the region’s foremost experts on Arab cinema and previously the Artistic Director of the UAE Cultural Foundation and the founder of the Emirates Film Competition; and Yasir Alyasiri, award-winning Emirati director, producer, and writer.

Animation Film category

Sara Oulddaddah, Animation & Manga Department Manager, Manga Productions, Saudi Arabia, will be a juror in the Animation Film category alongside Mariam Alserkal, Emirati filmmaker, producer, and founder of the boutique production company “Triplets on set”, and Laurie Gordon, Festival director of Montreal International Animation Film Festival – ANIMAZE.

Documentary Film category

Jurors of this category include Ahmed Eldin, a Kuwaiti Emmy-nominated journalist, producer and actor whose award-winning documentaries on Al Jazeera English focused on social justice and human rights. He will be joined by Waad Al-Kateab, Syrian activist and award-winning filmmaker whose For Sama received the BAFTA honour for Best Documentary and was nominated for the 2020 Academy Awards. The jury panel also includes Susan Mbogo, Lead Project Coordinator at DOCUBOX EADFF.

Feature Film category

To judge films in this category, Emirati filmmaker Nawaf Al Janahi, whose debut film, The Circle, marked a turning point in Emirati and Gulf cinema, and Aida Al-Hassani, co-founder of Verein International Arab Film Festival Zurich.